We needed a support beam between the 1st and 2nd floor for some structural changes. Any such structural modifications always need to start at the ground floor and work up. So, we cut a 4×4 hole in the concrete floor of the old county court room for a planned foundation base for this beam. The cut piece of concrete dropped about 3 inches when the cut was finished. You can see the base of broken tile under the concrete slab had settled a bit in 137 years. The other pics show the ground floor beam and 1st floor beam directly above, installed. There is a lot of weight involved with 18-inch masonry walls. We are not taking any chances.
(Fun fact: In my soil and water conservation days, we referred to broken clay tile as “jitney”. We used it instead of limestone for spring developments and foundation drains. With so much history of clay manufacturing in Perry County, it was readily available for many years, and it will never dissolve as limestone will with slightly acid water.)
– Ben Carpenter, Perry County Commissioner
Originally posted to Facebook
